Help with Memory Card (PUH-LEEZE!)

[Jimi D]

I'm running a PPC 2002 with a 256 MB SD card, and I seem to have corrupted my memory card in the process of uploading a mess of files (about 7500!) - I've tried to clean the card but can get no more than 161 MB on my 256 MB card - No files are showing up as on the card, I just can't free up more memory... I tried downloading Total Commander and using it, but it doesn't show anything different from File Explorer... How can I reformat the card to get it back to it's "virgin" state? Any help appreciated.
:(

[PetiteFlower]

Easiest way is to either get a card reader for your PC and use windows tools to scan or format the card, or get something like Flash Format for your PPC.

[Anthony Caruana]

PetiteFlower is right. I'd highly recommend you get acard reader as it will not only help with managing your card but it is also a much quicker way to copy files to it.

[bljarv]

There may be a technical limitation you are running in to. Without going into super geek mode I'll give a pretty simplified explanation that won't even mention inodes or pointers! :D

It basically comes down to the fact that every file you want to store has a certain amount of overhead involved. On almost any storage device out there, you can't store the same amount of data (in Megs) if you are using a whole bunch of small files compared to a few larger ones. The larger files have the same amount of overhead (roughly) as smaller files, they are just a little more efficient.

If you are really loading on 7+ thousand files, this may be your problem. I would follow the other advise here about using a card reader, etc. Just realize that you may be running into other issues.

That's all about as clear as mud, I know...just thought I would throw it out there as a possibility.

[Jimi D]

Thanks guys... Flash Format fixed the short term problem... I formated to Fat32 with 2K clusters, but what I really want to know is why the hell this isn't part of the OS!?!

Speaking of Flash Format, I wonder where these guys derive their pricing from? Flash Format is good, and it saved me some trouble here, but if a $20 card reader will do the same thing for me and speed up file transfer times, I'm not likely to feel inclined to drop $12 on this program ($5 and I'd buy it in a heartbeat, though...)

Anyway, I guess I'll grab a card reader at some point - doing straight copies to my PPC is SLOW, I admit, but I'm running out of USB ports (I don't want to have to buy ANOTHER port!)

As to the number of files being an issue, I don't think that was my problem... the connection broke while in the copy process, and the card just became "spontaneously" corrupt - I know 7500 is a lot of files, but they're small data files and the total real size is under 25 Meg... Even with Fat16 and 32K clusters I think I should have had plenty of room for them all (off the cuff math here, but I'm thinking ~10000+/- files potential?)

[PetiteFlower]

You wouldn't have to keep your card reader plugged in all the time, just when you're using it, which I can't imagine would be that often :)

Anyway I think it's not only faster but also more reliable when transferring large amounts of data to use a card reader. But it looks like you already found that out!

[maximus]

As to the number of files being an issue, I don't think that was my problem... the connection broke while in the copy process, and the card just became "spontaneously" corrupt - I know 7500 is a lot of files, but they're small data files and the total real size is under 25 Meg... Even with Fat16 and 32K clusters I think I should have had plenty of room for them all (off the cuff math here, but I'm thinking ~10000+/- files potential?)

Actually bljarv is correct. Lets do a simple math calculation.

Your 256MB SD actually has the capacity of 240,000,000 bytes.

With FAT16 and 32K (each files is located on a cluster consists of 32,768 bytes)

If you devide 240,000,000 by 32,768 gives you 7,324.


Which means, with FAT16 and 32K clusters, the maximum number of file you can put into that 256SD is 7,324. Hence when writing file #7,325, the SD reported that it is full.

By formatting with FAT32 and 2K clusters, you automatically solved the problem, since 240,000,000 divided by 2048 is 117,187 files. I dont know if the FAT can actually handle that many, though.